How much face to face time for cat introductions

[Cval]

Hi All

still trying to reintroduce my 2 cats after their vet visit. We are at week 6 where we have been trying to do the no gate face to face following the Jackson galaxy method and just need some advice on how to increase these sessions.
Last week there was a fight during one of these meetings because we allowed them to aporoacho since then we’ve kept them on their own side of the room and keep them busy with treats and they can eat a meal in the same room about 3 feet away. Once the meal ends or treats run out they are not interested in anything else no play no petting and we’ve been putting them back into their sections of the house.
we have 3-4 sessions per day at 10-15 minutes each and neither seem as nervous but they def notice eachother.

How do I increase their time together without feeding them all day long? Do we just let them stay in the same room after their meal and stay close to distract them then end it?

thanks in advance

 

[fionasmom]

How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction – TheCatSite Articles
Cat Behavior Problems [What to do and what not to do] – TheCatSite Articles

Did the vet visit cause the cats to become unfriendly? They now are smelling the vet office or procedure on each other and it is sparking the unfriendliness? Have you tried the gate method? It sounds as if you are in the position of doing a lot of monitoring and separating and it might not let the cats interact enough? Are the cats fixed?

 

[Cval]

How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction – TheCatSite Articles
Cat Behavior Problems [What to do and what not to do] – TheCatSite Articles

Did the vet visit cause the cats to become unfriendly? They now are smelling the vet office or procedure on each other and it is sparking the unfriendliness? Have you tried the gate method? It sounds as if you are in the position of doing a lot of monitoring and separating and it might not let the cats interact enough? Are the cats fixed?

Initially the grooming and bath cause the non recognition aggression issue which resulted in a few nasty fights until we separated them. We are doing the reintroduction for the past 6 weeks so now we are allowing supervised time together but like I said it’s all about food treats lol. So do we just let them hang out after eating but put the gate up? The cat behaviorist said to try up get them to play after their meals with no gate but didn’t seem to like the idea of leaving the gates up to get them more exposure. I do feel they need more exposure can you tell me more about the gate method ? Yes you’re right they are on a schedule and we monitor each session and end them then they don’t see eachother again until meal treats time. Thanks for your input.

 

[Cval]

And yes both fixed 4 and 5 male and female, assuming the vet smell is long gone but the fights caused the female some trauma so it’s been a slow process

 

[fionasmom]

Baby gates are used as barrier to separate the cats, but at the same time to make them aware of each other. Some people use large pieces of cardboard and some have found that they need to rig up a couple of gates if one cat is insistent on jumping over in order to be aggressive. The gate is put in place someplace convenient for you and the cats and they are allowed to interact on either side of it. When you think that they are okay with each other, you raise it up and cautiously see what happens.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Introducing Cats to Each Other | Jackson Galaxy

Jackson Galaxy is not opposed to the gate method and does describe it in the second article about half way down. This can also be done with using a room with a door as a barrier which is what I have always done. Not saying this is better and it works on the same principle. When I first brought my avatar Lily into the house, she and Jamie basically played a pretty intense game of slappy face at the door, but it got better and now they curl up and sleep together.

A pet gate is usually larger than a baby gate and is better.

Have you tried brushing them with the same brush, rubbing the same towel on them, using vanilla?

What is the Vanilla Extract/Perfume trick?

 

[Cval]

Baby gates are used as barrier to separate the cats, but at the same time to make them aware of each other. Some people use large pieces of cardboard and some have found that they need to rig up a couple of gates if one cat is insistent on jumping over in order to be aggressive. The gate is put in place someplace convenient for you and the cats and they are allowed to interact on either side of it. When you think that they are okay with each other, you raise it up and cautiously see what happens.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Introducing Cats to Each Other | Jackson Galaxy

Jackson Galaxy is not opposed to the gate method and does describe it in the second article about half way down. This can also be done with using a room with a door as a barrier which is what I have always done. Not saying this is better and it works on the same principle. When I first brought my avatar Lily into the house, she and Jamie basically played a pretty intense game of slappy face at the door, but it got better and now they curl up and sleep together.

A pet gate is usually larger than a baby gate and is better.

Have you tried brushing them with the same brush, rubbing the same towel on them, using vanilla?

What is the Vanilla Extract/Perfume trick?

Hi yes tried all of the above except leaving the gate up. Today was feeling pretty good about things because I could get them in the same room to eat for 20 mins and explore but the male came out of no where and attacked the female. Thankfully they just rolled on the floor and separated then I picked her up but he did try to find her afterwards. I think I’m going do fo the pet gate thing I do have Two that I was stacking but only to feed them and they were eating face to face but being in the same room seems to be where things are breaking down. Thanks for the advice going on week 7 now never thought the reintroduction would take so long.